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I agree. I think Kimbrel moves on and DD either tries to sign a closer or trade for one. And he doesn’t even consider Durbin Feltman an option for closer in 2019...

The Yankees would only need him to be effective for 3 more years. Since his AAV in that time is only $9.3mill, it’s not even debilitating if he isn’t. To me, the big question is, will Cashman be willing to meet the asking price, which will rival the one Boston paid for Sale? I’d expect at minimum, Sheffield, another top 5 prospect (Flovial?) from the NYY farm, and another prospect that Cleveland likes. Would Cashman pull a trigger on that deal? Or will he be stupid?

Groome may one day be a terrific pitcher, but right now I don’t like seeing him ranked so high in the Sox system. He’s been in the organization for three years, and in that time has thrown all of 62 innings, resulting in one more win (3) than his combined total of Tommy John surgeries and PED suspensions. Either his high school pedigree is so immense it’s nearly impossible to tarnish, or the Sox farm is extremely weak that so few can surpass these extremely minimal accomplishments...

But he still focused on and targeted Kimbrel. He didn’t go and trade for, say, Francisco Rodriguez. He clearly valued the role of closer and wanted an elite pitcher in it. This is why I’d be surprised if Barnes, Kelly, or (especially) Brasier opens the season in the role. Now DD has said publicly he might fill the role internally, specifically naming Barnes and Brasier as candidates. But this looks like a negotiating tactic. There’s no other reason to make that statement right now...

Barnes probably does, but Brasier could also be a flash in the pan. The Sox could and probably should give him lessser roles than closer in the Boston pen...

This isn’t about being negative. There are numerous organizations who evaluate farm systems, probably using a variety of criteria. All of them say the Sox farm is weak, especially when compared to other teams. All of them. The only people saying it isn’t are Sox fans in denial. And just because your local weatherman can’t do a 10 day forecast doesn’t change this. It’s a bad farm. That’s ok, because the parent club is very, very good. The only issue is the Sox might struggle to add a player or two in December or July. But they probably have enough to get that done. And really, sometimes that’s doesn’t even take that much when you look at what the Sox have up the last two July’s. In a couple years, this will be a bigger deal when the Sox try to replace Sale, Betts, Bogaerts and Bradley and the internal solutions might be Bryan Mata, Nick Decker, CJ Chatham and Jarran Duran. Those are not equal sets of players...

Barnes is an option, but I think DD probably prefers an experienced closer based on his past experience in building bad bullpens. He did go get Kimbrel before he had any semblance of a good starting rotation...

There isn’t much to get excited about, but if the Sox need a dirt cheap RHH 1b, he does fit that description and is already here. At best, he is a stopgap to Chavis, who would have a better chance at opening day but missed a lot of time last year due to his suspension...

It all comes down to cash. Maybe the Sox will go cheap there and use Travis and eventually Chavis as his platoon partner

But the top 3 or 4 WAR leaders will usually make a pretty easily defensible list of candidates...

By the time Kinsler made the error, what was left of the lineup was pretty abysmal. Before the series, people were worried about having Vazquez or Leon on the lineup, as it created a weak spot. That game the Sox had both of them in their for what was about a full game worth of innings...

I do think it might not be so easy to keep Pearce. It all depends on the budget and who else they sign. Holt, Nunez and Leon/Swihart are locks. Pearce is not as of now. Lin has one option left...

And yet Theo Epstein did it in Boston...

Assuming they’re all healthy, I would expect Wright, Hembree, Leon, and Workman to make the team.. Johnson to be dealt. Swihart to either make the team or be dealt. Cuevas will likely be DFAd...

A fourth OF isn’t so much a need as an option. The Sox will have a fourth bench spot available and if they can’t afford Pearce, it is a potentially cheap way to round out the bench. They could also just as easily use an internal player like Lin or Travis or Quiroz or ?? They might even have two bench spots open if Pedroia is out and Swihart is dealt...

Feltman was in A-ball last year. He shouldn’t be thrust immediately into a key bullpen role, but rather be considered depth. He might be good, but he also might be the second coming of Craig Hansen. Don’t rely on him yet. Also did you DFA Workman? It might happen...

Yes. Boring. We do all hope Xander Bogaerts’ excellent season has tempered any interest DD had in Machado. I do expect DD to bring back Eovaldi, who is very much his type of pitcher and whom he did already trade for once. Barring any trades or DFAs, this would leave the Sox with a full 12 man pitching staff but with no experienced closer. And only maybe $10-15mill to spend before the next CBA limit, which I’m going to assume is a factor. The Sox might bring back Pearce, although this probably leaves $3-8mill for any mid season acquisitions. And a closer. So maybe not. So a trade for a closer could happen. The Sox don’t have much trade bait, but I assume Brian Johnson would go to create space for another pitcher. Other candidates to round out the package include Swihart, Chavis, and Dalbec. For Johnson plus 1 or 2 of these players, maybe the Sox can acquire a Jose Leclerc or Will Smith. Or maybe one of the Brewers’ relievers not named Hader. (Jeremy Jeffress? Corey Knebel?) In both Milwaukee and Texas, Swihart and Chavis/Dalbec might be able to step into starting roles. If Swihart is not in this deal, the Sox might be done. If he is, the Sox probably have one bench spot open for a RHH 1b like Pearce or an actual fourth outfielder (Jon Jay? Gerardo Parra?). But spending a lot probably won’t be the goal here, just in case. Pearce is the bigger need, but he might be difficult if he wants a contract similar to Mitch Moreland’s...

Let’s just say on more than one occasion, he’s been caught with a scantily clad Bushnell 101911 velocity speed gun...

I don’t know about Cora, but Dombrowski definitely likes radar gun readings...

I haven’t twisted any facts. You came closer when you said his error prevented a coronation. You yourself said if the Sox lost that series, it would be because of other far more significant events and mistakes. Well, that is EXACTLY what happened with Buckner. I’ve already highlighted Gedman’s passed ball as one more significant mistake. The Sox also blew a 3-0 lead in game 7. Heck, the Sox pitching staff had a 2-0 game lead coming into three games at Fenway and didn’t get it done. Yet despite all this, all anyone remembers is an error in game 6 that only served the purpose of preventing more innings in a game that was already tied...

But Cody Allen likes you...

Sure. They had a chance, but that’s it. And like you said about Kinsler’s error, there could have easily been plenty of other mistakes and lost opportunities that cost the Sox the series. In fact, history tells us there already were...

You are incorrect. If Kinsler made his play, the Sox win the game. If Buckner made his play, the game was still tied and there was no guarantee of a win, much less a coronation. The game was tied moments earlier on Gedman’s passed ball that allowed Kevin Mitchell to score and put Ray Knight into scoring position...

P Think the Sox add 3 pitchers? They have 11 currently under control and the only two with options are not so desirable to option. In order to fit 3 pitchers on the roster, who would you expect to go?